THE KING’S BUSINESS
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the Sabbath. School, and later its superin- téndent. Some timé before the coming of the' revival he had lapsed into deism through reading infidel books, and openly professed his contempt for Christianity. He ridiculed prayer and challenged any six men to pray him- out of his infidelity. One humble work ingman, himself a new convert, resolved to pray for him. Another friend also was praying for him. Learning of the prayers that were being offered for him and touched by the earnestness of his informant, he went home in silent anxiety, retired to his room, took down his neglected Bible which fell open at the fifty-first Psalm. He closed the Book and on opening it again it opened at the thirty-ninth Psalm. His heart was melted and he fell down on his knees, cast ing himself upon God for mercy and for giveness. All his doubts and difficulties vanished, and he declared afterwards that he could answer every one of Tom Paine’s arguments. With thirty others he met Dr. Johnston at the close of the next' Sabbath services and made a new confession of faith in his Saviour Jesus Christ. GREAT MASS MEETING Reference has been made above to the prayer meeting in- the Botanic Gardens, which must not be passed oyer. Because of the crowds of people drawn to the churches even in the country dis tricts, it became common to adjourn to the open air. The largest outdoor meeting was one arranged for by the churches of Bel fast. The beautiful garden in which it was held is within sight of the Queen’s College atid the Assembly’s College, and has been: the scene of many reinarkablé gather ings in its time; But it is safe to say that none of these, except that held two years ago when Ulster’s solemn League and Cov enant to résist civil and religious tyranny to the death, if need be, was signed, was pervaded with the solemnity that was the outcome of the overwhelming sense of the sacredness of 'the occasion and of the im minence of the Divine presénce.-
and the deepest conviction seized upon his. soul. I never saw or met with a more dis tressed mind. He had no rest, day or night, for weeks. He happened tp meet me one, day in one of the 'most crowded thorough- | fares of Belfast, and stopped me to ask, ‘What must I- do to he saved ? I have been - a hypocrite and a"formalist for^’nearly' forty years; I have been walking through life with a veil over my eyes, and I feel such a burden of sin that if I do not get relief I must die and be damned.’ For weeks no promise could give him peace. He knew his. Bible well, but that only added aggra vation to his guilt. Human counsels were utterly powerless. I could only pray with him, and for him. Nor was this in vain. I met him one day, and was delighted to see at once a gladsome countenance, the index of a blessed change. He told jne God ¡had shown him his mistake. He had wished God to mend, his heart, but that would not do; and it was not until, on his knees, he had unreservedly resigned himself to the Lord, and asked the Holy Spirit to renew him in the. whole man after the image of God, that the Lord Jesus had mercy on him and had pardoned and accepted him, . . . It so happened that a few weeks after, I began my pastoral visitation for this, winter with my friend John. When seated together at his fireside, he said, ‘I think, Mr. Johnston, the ministers are-all preach ing a great deal better than they used to do.’ ‘Perhaps,,’ said I, ‘the people are hear ing a good deal better than they used-to do.’ ‘That may be,’ he replied, fbut I think they ought to preach a good deal better.’ ‘Why so rt! asked. ‘Because,’ said he, ‘the people are all praying now for their min isters ; and before this revival, they left all the praying as well as all the preaching to them.’ John is now a living stone in the spiritual temple.” ' THE BACKSLIDER In Dr. Johnston’s church was ,a young man of prepossessing appearance, many na tural gifts, correct morals, large acquaint ance with the Bible, an earnest teacher in
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